$432 million dirty diesel secret exposed

Friday 22 December 2017

The State Liberals are calling for the Weatherill Government’s dirty diesel generator deal to be brought back to the Parliamentary Public Works Committee to be scrutinised in detail now the deal is no longer commercial in confidence.

In a humiliating display of incompetence Treasurer Koutsantonis has been caught misleading the people of South Australia about the total cost of the Weatherill Government’s diesel generator deal.

Yesterday Tom Koutsantonis claimed the cost of the Weatherill Government’s diesel generator deal was $338 million despite his own MYBR presentation clearly showing a total cost of $432 million.

Excerpt from Treasurer’s MYBR presentation

“Now that the cost of the Weatherill Government’s dirty diesel generator deal is no longer commercial in confidence this project must be brought back to the Parliamentary Public Works Committee,” said Shadow Minister for Infrastructure David Pisoni.

“South Australians have a right to know all the details around this $432 million project and the Public Works Committee will be able to scrutinise the deal and extract those details.

“The Public Works Committee has already agreed to meet twice in January and time must be set aside at the earliest opportunity to consider this project.

“The Weatherill Government’s arrogance and deceitful behaviour reached new heights yesterday as they deliberately attempted to mislead the people of South Australia about how much of their taxpayer dollars are being spent on these dirty diesel generators.

“The Treasurer’s own figures show that the total cost to lease, purchase, operate and relocate these diesel generators is an obscene $432 million.

“This means that the cost of the Weatherill Government’s $550 million energy plan has been blown out of the water and is now costing South Australians in excess of $600 million.

“The Weatherill Government’s hopeless energy policy mismanagement has resulted in South Australians footing a $432 million bill for diesel generators to patch up South Australia’s unreliable energy network.

“As we approach Christmas many South Australians are struggling to make ends meet, pay their massive ESL and electricity bills while the Weatherill Government continues to waste taxpayers’ dollars.

“The State Liberals are committed to easing the cost of living pressures on South Australian families and that’s why we will cut the Emergency Services tax, cut electricity bills and cap council rates.”